Ten Best Dive Bars in Broward County

Sometimes you just want to go where everyone knows your name; that safe, familiar dive where the drinks are cheap, the lighting is low, and you can always get away with wearing sandals and a T-shirt with stains on it. Because the only thing anyone cares about at a dive bar is shootin' the shit, knocking back the next cold one, and letting the world outside the grime-coated walls melt away.

When you can't be bothered by things like mixology or a button-down shirt, a good dive will always be there to help raise your spirits and make you feel really great about yourself afterward. Thankfully, here in South Florida, no matter where you are, there are probably at least five dive bars in a mile radius. To make your life easier, we've compiled a list of the top ten near Fort Lauderdale.

As far as dives go, this place might be more than some bargained for. There's a reason this place has no windows. If you can't handle the occasional porn playing on the TV or bartenders sporadically taking out their tatas, Bimini Bay Bar's probably not for you. But for fans of this notorious spot in Fort Lauderdale, these are huge selling points. Along with 2 buck brews and attentive service, the raunchy antics at Bimini Bay Bar more than make up for the fact that the cash-only watering hole only serves beer, wine, and sake.

Play by Play in Pompano Beach has everything you could want in a dive bar, and some things you didn't know you wanted but will love anyway. A sport fanatic's home-away-from-home, Play by Play offers you all your favorite teams playing at your booth's personal hi-def TV, food served up til close, a stripper pole, every game under the sun, and live music with a punk edge or country twang. It even has its own liquor store attached to the side, because nothing goes better with sports and alcohol than more alcohol.

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Secluded waterfront tables, gigantic burgers, and a no-b.s. service attitude make Hollywood's Le Tub Saloon worthy of our list. Sure, tourists tend to stop by to check out the GQ and Oprah-hyped establishment, but better than the burgers is the large wood deck with plenty of picnic benches overlooking the intracoastal boat traffic and the breezy, open-air bar.

The longest-surviving bar on Fort Lauderdale Beach, this spot has seen it all. Its corner location right across the beach is perfect for permanent spring breakers both old and young to congregate for cheap beer, live music, wet T-shirt contests, and general debauchery.

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Have you ever wondered what it's like inside that sad-looking place underneath the billboard off Flamingo and 84 called Andy's Lounge? So did we. Lo and behold, it's pretty much the quintessential dive bar, featuring smoky atmosphere, pool tables, a decent beer selection, and a permanent cast of local characters babbling the stereotypical tales of inebriation. It's also open until 8 a.m., which is virtually unheard of, especially right smack in the middle of the suburbs.

Bars. But if you're thinking it's all plaid shirts and bearded dudes in glasses, think again. PRL is the beer aficionado's dream-come-true, featuring several beers with an alcohol content of more than ten percent, along with an eclectic, laid back atmosphere and a younger, busy crowd on the weekends.

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Arcade games, pool tables, a massive bar filled with friendly bartenders, and a virtually all-day, every day happy hour make this Fort Lauderdale Beach dive a staple. Sure, it can tend to have that grimy, acrid smell familiar to any formidable dive, but no matter what time of day, this place is always poppin' off, and you can always count on getting shamelessly checked out and also on checking out, mentally.

This Fort Lauderdale favorite, conveniently located right across the street from a jail, gets rave reviews for its quality, well-priced food and drinks, consistent, relaxed atmosphere, and ideal riverfront views. You also have to appreciate the fact that it's a historic building, something not to be taken for granted in our ever-transient

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This one was a no-brainer. Named for the snorkelers and divers who've made this Fort Lauderdale Beach spot their hangout, the Dive Bar has the perfect recipe of pool tables, an enormous bar, and a stage for live music to make it the locals-only dive.

Holding it down in Fort Lauderdale's Himmarshee Village since 2003, Original Fat Cat's tops our list of best dive bars for lots of reasons. The dark, Americana-littered walls, an eclectic program of local live music, and a formidable selection of cheap beer make it the perfect dive for those seeking a grittier alternative to the suits-and-heels scene on Las Olas. Shoot a game of pool, groove to the live reggae on Wednesday nights, or hang out on the front patio; this is primo people-watching.

​Want access to our Best Of picks from your smartphone? Download our free Best Of app for the iPhone or Android phone from the App Store or Google Play. Don't forget to check out the full Best of Broward-Palm Beach® online at bestof.voiceplaces.com.